Me Before You

I would actually give the book 4 stars. I knew when I picked up this book it was a love story between an able-bodied woman and a quadriplegic man and that it was a bestseller. But, ALL my assumptions that this would be a trite soap opera with a predictable happy ending turned out to be incorrect! It's actually much, much more.

This is a well researched, deeply believable story about a small group of ordinary people who find themselves in very difficult circumstances, and how each one handles that situation thoughtfully and in the best way he/she can.

It is about much more than the love story between the two main characters. It's also about the very definition of love. How lovers support one another when faced with difficult choices? How show more parents react when their children's values become different from their own? How does one weigh love against quality of life? And how the unique bond between siblings can be a blessing for some, but not for others?

There is ample detail about the day-to-day life of a disabled person -- from what's required for the simplest bodily functions to the restrictions experienced when trying to negotiate a world and society designed for the able bodied. In its own quiet way, ME BEFORE YOU raises a variety of complex issues that both draw you into the story and challenge you to think about your own values. show less

This book was very well-written, so I could not in fair conscience deny a perfect rating. However, the ending left me in physical pain for several days. I was so easily able to get attached to Louisa Clark because she reminded me so much of me in my younger days. Plain, never getting my own recognition for my wonderful talents, being overshadowed by another sibling who was just more flamboyant but given credit for being so intelligent and amazing. I think a lot of the book was predictable except the last thing that her boyfriend did. You think you know someone well, but you don't. This book covers the right-to-die so well from a personal aspect. I THOUGHT I knew what my strong beliefs were, but after getting attached to Will Traynor, show more former larger than life wealthy man in a wheelchair, I saw the other side of the fence. I thought I knew compassion for the handicapped, but after reading all of the obstacles they faced every time they wanted to do something different fun in public, it made me realize how if I am there to help someone in any way, I should jump ahead and do it without even asking. Great humanitarian theme involved! Just don't read this before any occasion where happiness is mandatory. Seriously! show less

En pocas palabras me encantó. Y conste que no es fácil que diga estas palabras refiriéndome a un libro de esta temática. Ésta es una historia de amor muuuy peculiar y para contarla la autora utiliza con gran habilidad los recursos literarios a su alcance cuya conjunción arroja como resultado un todo armónico (así como lo hacen los grandes relojeros en cuya obra cada pieza perfectamente ensamblada en el producto final).

La historia se cuenta desde el punto de vista de la protagonista, empero la autora cambia hábilmente al narrador en ciertos puntos clave de la narración, lo cual permite conocer más a fondo a otros personajes que, de otra manera, habrían tenido menos incidencia en el desarrollo de la historia.

En esta novela no show more existe ningún aspecto superficial o tratado con liviandad, cada personaje está perfectamente trabajado y su aspecto psicológico está muy bien desarrollado. Una de las cuestiones que más me ha agradado de este libro es la evolución que de a poco van experimentando los distintos personajes, lo cual, desde mi particular punto de vista, permite un mayor disfrute.

Lo anterior cobra mucha más relevancia si nos detenemos a considerar un aspecto clave: el tema difícil y extremadamente sensible que trata el libro NADA MENOS QUE LA DECISION DE PONER FIN A LA PROPIA VIDA. Este libro cayó en mis manos justamente tras haber leído íntegramente la sentencia dictada por la Corte Suprema de Canadá en el caso "Carter v. Canada" que legalizó el suicidio asistido en ese país.

Esta novela, si bien ficción, trae a la luz una cuestión de difícil abordaje incluso en sociedades más liberales y cuanto más lo sería en una tan cerrada como la nuestra. A través de este libro pude observar la cuestión desde una perspectiva distinta: si la sentencia da voz a quienes se encuentran en una situación que deseando poner fin a su vida no pueden hacerlo por sus propios medios, este libro lo hace desde el punto de vista de las personas que rodean a las mismas y las implicancias que tal decisión tendría en otras vidas.

Creo que el hecho que permitió que disfrute tanto de la lectura de este libro radica justamente en la temática que trata y la óptica desde la cual lo aborda. Con toda sinceridad, sigo discordando con el fallo de la Corte Suprema de Canadá y con el desenlace, empero la fundamentación apasionada de la primera y la conmovedora narración del segundo sí me ha convencido de algo, que debemos respetar las decisiones de los demás aunque nunca vayamos a estar de acuerdo con ellas (en mi caso, mi carácter de católico no me permite apoyar esta figura pues Dios es el único dueño de la vida: "Dios me lo dio, Dios me lo quitó, bendito sea el Señor" [Job 1, 21]).

En fin, un excelente libro plenamente merecedor de las excelentes opiniones expresadas a su respecto. Le doy 4 estrellas únicamente porque aún no he hallado un libro absolutamente merecedor de 5. Recomiendo totalmente su lectura. show less

The Short of It:

Smart, funny, heartwarming and yes, a bit gut-wrenching. I was warned to not read it in public due to its sob-inducing content but it doesn’t really matter where you read it, as long as you read it!

The Rest of It:

It’s difficult for 35-year-old Will Traynor to accept his quadriplegic status. Prior to being struck by a motorcycle, he traveled all over the world living life to the fullest. But his days and nights are now spent reliant on others. Nathan, his primary caregiver, takes care of his medical needs, but when his family sees how despondent he is about his current condition and the fact that’s he’s attempted to kill himself once already, they intervene by hiring a secondary caregiver by the name of Louisa show more Clark.

Louisa (Lou) is a struggling 26-year-old. Having just lost her job, her prospects are slim and having to support her father, mother and sister forces her to consider jobs that she normally would not give a second thought to. When she’s sent to interview for a caregiver position, she gives it a go, not realizing what her true purpose will be, which is essentially to give Will a reason to live again.

Tall order, huh?

At first, Lou has no idea what her job is. She’s there to be a companion to Will and to watch him when Nathan is not around. Although she feels awkward around Will. she quickly realizes what she’s been tasked with and after a minor freak-out, she embraces it. Albeit, not all that confidently at first, but after getting to know Will and what he’s all about, she feels sure that she can sway his position on life in general.

I think the success of this book, has a lot to do with Lou as a character. She’s efficient but in a bumbling sort of way. Not perfect, but her flaws make for some entertaining reading. Her too tight skirts and odd sense of style are endearing but her genuine concern over Will is what makes this entire situation a bitter pill to swallow. Her dedication to him and yes, her eventual love for him prove to be very challenging obstacles, but ones that she is willing to push through in order to get the result she wants.

What makes this story even more special, is that it’s as much about Lou, as it is about Will. From the moment Will sees Lou, he knows why she’s there. Even though he’s chair bound, he realizes he’s in the perfect position to see that Lou (he calls her Clark) lives the life that he cannot. Through new experiences, some they make together and some Lou manages on her own, the two manage to add a little bit of adventure to their day-to-day existence.

Through it all, you can’t help but be reminded of Will’s precarious health. His inability to regulate his body temperature, his increased risk for infection and his drastic mood swings are all reminders of what they are up against. In the middle of happiness, comes heartache and it’s so incredibly difficult to understand how a life can change so drastically in such a short amount of time. The unfairness of it all will leave you shaking your head and if you’re the type to cry while reading, you will definitely well-up with this one.

This is the type of read that will take you through all of the emotions. I was happy, sad, disappointed and mad. There were times when I wanted nothing else but to curse Will’s mother or shake some common sense into Will, but all in all, the experience of reading this book was like spending time with dear friends. It took me forever to pick it up because I really considered it to be straight-up romance and it’s really, so much more than that.

If you haven’t picked it up yet, you must! The cost of care and the use and availability of assisted-suicide are some of the weightier issues included in this novel. Will is rich, so the cost of his care is not really an issue but I imagine it would be for a lot of folks in the same situation. My book club chose not to read Me Before You but I think we missed out on a good discussion opportunity because there is plenty to discuss with this one.

For more reviews, visit my blog: Book Chatter. show less

The concept behind Me Before You is simple, but brilliant. Louisa Clark is hired to take care of Will Traynor, a quadriplegic man, but she's not hired to take care of his medical needs or to help him with his bodily functions. She's hired because she's “chatty” and Will's mother, Camilla Traynor, is desperate to find someone who might touch aspects of her son's life that still have value. Although Louisa needs to know the routine of Will's meds and eventually has to learn how to give him bed baths and change his catheter, their story is primarily psychological and emotional rather than physical. It's the story of two people getting to know each other.

It helps that Louisa is someone with her own set of issues, someone who is resigned show more to living a life defined by the needs of her family rather than pursuing her own dreams. As the title indicates, the story is more about Louisa than it is about Will, but both characters change and grow throughout the book.

I listened to the audio and have to say that all the readers were good, but I was most impressed by Susan Lyons, the voice of Louisa. The book is primarily from her point of view, so she did most of the reading and had the character's gabby compensation for a lack of self confidence down pat.

I intend to see the movie soon. I only know Emilia Clarke through Game of Thrones, but think she will be perfect as Louisa. Although the roles are very different, a sense of strength through an aura of vulnerability is important to both.

Steve Lindahl – author of Hopatcong Vision Quest, White Horse Regressions, and Motherless Soul show less

alright...so i had preconceived notions about what this book might be. hearing and reading it labelled 'chick lit', 'romance', 'women's lit', and 'girls' books club', i was put off. in past instances of reading books that could be boxed in in those ways, i have found them light, angst-y, melodramatic, then neatly, tidily resolved. they haven't been terribly deep or exploratory. sometimes that's totally okay, and even welcomed. but the labels can do a disservice.

labels aside, i kept hearing strong, positive things for moyes' book. having just come off of some serious nonfiction reads, i wanted a book that would be engaging but not taxing. i hoped this would fit the bill, and it did.

moyes is handling a very important and difficult subject show more at the core of me before you - the right to determine one's own death. in canada, this is a big debate and one i feel needs to be seriously addressed through legislation. i strongly believe people are entitled to self-determination - and choosing a dignified death should not be a criminal act, nor should there be so much stigma surrounding death (generally), and one's right to die.

moyes' characters seem genuine - though louisa's 'quirk' factor lost it's charm fairly quickly, and lou's boyfriend needed a punch in the throat. his purpose was not well developed/used, and for me he did not add much to the story at all. will traynor had been a larger-than-life, successful man until he wasn't. (by his own determination.) the supporting characters were interesting and nuanced, adding richness to the story, reflecting well families and every day life. it did end up all a bit neat and tidy, and the wealth of will traynor, and his parents, made things unrealistic to most people. so those were a few of my grumps on the story. but overall, i think moyes has succeeded in creating a good novel, dealing with an important subject and done so in a way that makes it highly accessible to all readers. books like this - fiction, well done - can help in the conversations about a person's right to die, and may help the discussions become easier.

also, moyes offers a shoutout to the awesome flannery o'connor, so you gotta love a writer with excellent taste in writers. :)

another novel i read on this subject, earlier this year, is the fantastic [b:All My Puny Sorrows|18339630|All My Puny Sorrows|Miriam Toews|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1413751316s/18339630.jpg|25892986], by [a:Miriam Toews|8359|Miriam Toews|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1322022303p2/8359.jpg]. this was a stronger book for me - the writing is better, the story goes deeper and the humour is not silly. where the two novels forked, i think, has to do with the perspective of the narrators. in AMPS, the main character is the sister of the woman who want to take control of her own death. they have a lifelong, deep connection which resonates throughout the book. in MBY, the main character only has a 6 month relationship with the man who would like to choose his own death. though we get a bit of a voice from will's mother in MBY, the depths of emotions and strengths of the relationships are not as well-developed in moyes' story. so toews' book is definitely my preference and is, in fact, my favourite read of 2014 at this point.

having said that, though, i do recommend both novels - each helps to serve the subject in a memorable way. plus, i hear me before you is being adapted for the big screen...so you may as well read it first. i am thinking this adaptation will affect viewers the same way [b:The Fault in Our Stars|11870085|The Fault in Our Stars|John Green|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1360206420s/11870085.jpg|16827462] has...but the book is always better, even if a film is great. show less

I thought Me Before You was going to be an easy, light-hearted piece of chick lit. How wrong I was. There are layers upon layers that peel away to unfold a beautiful story of love, heartbreak and family relationships. I was taken aback by the depth of emotion that runs through this book. Moyes has created characters that come to life on the pages and who I came to care about. I was captivated from the very beginning and could barely bring myself to put it down. It made me laugh, it made me cry and at times I just wanted to reach out and hug the two main characters. The bravery that they both show through different times in their lives will touch the very hardest of souls. I doubt anyone could read this without being moved by the tale show more within. A magical read that could so easily have been over sentimental but wasn't. It had a depth to it that will tug on the reader’s heartstrings but at the same time gives food for thought. I highly recommend this book. show less